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With consumer spend in the metaverse set to reach $5 trillion by 2030, according to research released by McKinsey, the advertising industry has been busy setting up its stall to showcase what it can already achieve in this virtual reality landscape. Publicis Groupe has taken a slightly different direction, however, after it announced the appointment of its own chief metaverse officer—an AI powered lion avatar named Leon who can talk the language of marketing and comes complete with a hoodie and chinos.
Revealed during Viva Tech, the Publicis-supported technology expo in Paris, Leon was positioned to take questions from the audience about the metaverse and support their Web 3.0 issues. The interface will have his own LinkedIn page, where he will be able to take further queries on the topic at all times—and also support employees of the advertising group.
Created in the image of a lion to reflect the logo of Publicis Groupe, the decision to now have a human form avatar was to “embody the metaverse,” explained Marco Venturelli, chief executive and chief creative officer for Publicis Conseil.
“His mission first of all is to become an easy place for us to showcase the best work of the group,” Venturelli added, who explained that questions coming to Leon through LinkedIn from clients will be directed to “the right people” to comment. He will also be given his own email address—leon.avatar@publicis.com.
Of the metaverse itself, Venturelli states that it “doesn’t exist yet,” describing the current status of the environment as “a gaming experience” as it develops and evolves.
“We do believe about every innovation, including the metaverse, that you learn by doing … Today it is right to experiment, but you need some kind of symbol to pull all these experiences together and in a fun way because the metaverse, like all the social feelings about community and content and creativity, cannot be boring,” he added of the thinking behind the company’s new virtual ambassador.
In a statement, Arthur Sadoun, global CEO and chairman of Publicis Groupe, commented: “The metaverse isn’t a destination, it’s a real-time learning moment for all. It requires interrogation, education and experimentation.”
He also highlighted the company’s commitment to support clients in understanding what Web 3.0 will mean for their business, explaining that “Leon embodies that as an avatar and will help our clients navigate this new channel and progress every step of the way.”
